


Skipping Lines

by leedsmagic



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Gay Sex, Lots of Cuddling, M/M, Sad Louis, doctor/police, just some sad shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-11
Updated: 2014-09-11
Packaged: 2018-02-16 23:06:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2287835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leedsmagic/pseuds/leedsmagic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To start over you must break ties, begin in a new place, and become a new person. The most important thing to be accomplished first is forgetting your past entirely but for Louis, that is the only thing that keeps him from ever starting his life over.</p><p>...</p><p>"Who's that?"<br/>"Just someone I met long ago."<br/>"Can't be just someone to be photographed and hung on your wall."<br/>"No. It really is just someone..."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Strangers are no stranger

The afternoon sky seemed to match with Louis' being as he glumly treaded through the crowds hustling about in downtown: dull, grey, and pitifully lifeless. And the clouds matching his emotions with its sodden eeriness and the frequent low rumblings, signaling thunder. Yeah, he felt extra miserable and irritated today though it's not much of a surprise. What made him extra him today was how he woke up completely alone and hungover. The morning chill pissed him off and he figured that he wouldn't be cold if he had someone cuddling him, the light chirping outside his window blinded his senses as he thought that wasn't the only way he would wake up from, and the hollow feeling in his chest with the bonus from the pulsing thumping of his head bent him with devastating rage that he wouldn't be in so much pain if he just had someone. If that someone had stayed just as he had promised numerous of times. But then again, that was mostly Louis' fault. He had driven him to leave him once and for all, yelling and hitting while at it. All his fault, always was, always will be. That's just how Louis is.  
  


An incredulous pained sigh came from Louis lips. It wasn't unheard of before so he wasn't startled by it, instead he expected it. Really. His chest was heavy and the pulsing in his head turned to a dull throb but still hurt like a bitch all the same. He knew he was swaying as he walked from occasionally bumping into strangers passing by him but that didn't stop him from resting. Up ahead, in a blurry mess of lines, Louis could see the brightly lit sign through the misty haze of the fall afternoon. Taking a few more wobbly steps, he slumped against the door, breathing heavily. When he regained his breaths, Louis opened the door, greeted with the smell of smoke, alcohol, and sweat, and the blaring sounds of pumped music. Right when he walked inside, he was greeted by a few others in the room and the employees, engaging in a conversation. Louis beelined to the bar where Jason, the bartender (and his colleague), was waving at him to come. With a grin, Louis sat down in an empty seat beside a crying woman who was mumbling nonsense and screaming.  
  


"Ah, Tomlinson." said Jason, getting a glass from the stack below him. He turned around to the variety of beverages, humming to himself as he picked one out. "Been a while. I'd say its been eight hours since I seen you last, eh?"  
  


Jason was in the middle of pouring a copper-colored liquid into the glass. He smiled as he handed the glass to the tired man, dozing off. he took it, downing it in just seconds.  
  


Flicking his wrist up, Louis jiggled the now empty glass for more. Jason poured the hard liquor in his glass again. "Six hours actually, but who's counting?" he laughed, eyes trained onto the liquid. It was such a nice color.  
  


"New record?"   
  


Jason laughed along, his hand tapping against the wooden table.  
  


Louis shook his head, "nope. Guess, forty-three minutes can't be topped!" And the bartender of two years seemed impressed. Louis wasn't though. He felt somewhat ashamed of himself. What was he doing here again? To fuck himself up again.  _Right..._  
  


"Looks like you'll be here for long so I'll just leave the whole bottle to you."  
  


Grinning, Louis mumbled, "free of charge?" By this point he really was out of it. He couldn't think or function as he does sober.   
  


Jason chuckled, "only because you're a regular."  
  


Louis wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. He chose good because, hey! Free drinks.  
  


Then, Louis was all alone again with his liver-destroying drink as substitute for company. So, he kept drinking and drinking. then ordering more when he's finished the bottle before the new one. Several girls and guys chatted him up, those who knew him and those who simply wanted to charm him to their bed, which Louis declined. They weren't his type mostly. And today, he was searching for something wild and exotic to send him high up to heaven for the rest of the morning and possibly the afternoon. If not the afternoon, he can always come back here for more. It was his week off anyway. plus, his boss, Mr. Malik, did tell him to go crazy since he's worked so hard these past months...he always liked him. Great drinking buddy as well as head chief.  
  


When Louis looked up to check the time it was already six pm. He had been drinking for four fucking hours. With that, he started laughing uncontrollably. Four hours and he hasn't gotten laid. Weird, because usually he would have probably fucked at least six guys at the max in that much time. Maybe he shouldn't have rejected those two girls on a five-some---even though he's gay---, could've just agreed for the hell of it. God, now he was horny, and certainly not for vaginas.  
  


The most magical thing about bars and clubs is that when you wish for someone in particular whilst you're horny as shit, sooner or later that ideal person walks through the doors, looking even better than in your head. So being in one of those magical ass clubs, that's what happened right now.   
  


Louis had enough of the scene of lined up bottles on racks before him and twisted his stool back to the midsection of the club. His vision blended and went out of focus so he couldn't see whether there was anyone there that matched his taste at the moment. His head felt out of place, making it so that he felt so heavy and free. Louis had to bite down on his tongue to knock some sense into him---usually pain brought a tiny ounce of him back. As he groaned from the pain and the metallic taste of blood seeping through his aching tongue, he looked up, where coincidentally was the direction of the entrance and exit. Next, those doors flew opened, then a tall, fine dark-haired man strolled inside, nodding at a couple of people as he did. At first he didn't seem to see Louis but eventually he did. They always did.  
  


The man bagged up the conversation with a blonde chick and much too quickly, walked over to Louis who was holding his glass up. He sipped slowly, eyeing the man as he sat down beside him. Maybe he looked awfully seductive for the stranger began taking his bottom lip between his teeth while all the more openly checking his curvy body.  
  


His breath smelled like cigarettes as he spoke, "hey pretty thing." God, did Louis liked that soft growl that came with the man's deep voice.  
  


Louis swirled the dark liquid in his glass, glancing at the way it circled. It was mesmerizing for some reason, like a never-ending calm waves. Almost.  
  


"What's a hottie talking to a  _harmless_  pretty-boy like me?" remarked Louis with the same low tone. From the looks of the man, he was doing the whole seducing thing right for him.   
  


The man let out a chuckle and inhaled deeply afterwards, his eyes trained on the intriguing man sitting in front of him. Louis smiled an innocent one, making the man chuckle.  
  


For a while it became quiet, a chance for them both to size each other up in a way; check each other out, and maybe stare at one another's handsome features. For Louis, he couldn't pass over the sharp edges of the man's jaw, cheekbones, and nose. Very handsome and very much like his type.   
  


The man leaned in close enough that Louis could see the specks of gold in his light shaded eyes. "You don't seem harmless," he plucked the ignored glass from Louis' fingers and drank from it, giving a playful wink at his slightly baffled widened eyes, "besides, what's a harmless boy like you drinking all alone in a bar?"  
  


Louis gave a incredulous laugh at that last statement and mentally answered the truth: everything. But instead, he slid off the stool and stood below the tall man, waiting. He smiled victoriously when the man too abandoned his seat.  
  


The man raked his eyes down the man, grinning when he met those blue eyes. "Exactly why, a pretty-boy like you, is all alone?"  
  


He took a step forward, eyes hungry and darkened with lust.   
  


"Waiting for a harmful boy like you." answered Louis in the same taunting tone. He took a bold step forward so that they had just a fingertip amount of space between them.   
  


Grinning, the man took that as a welcome and put both hands on the shorter boy's hips, firmly holding them there as he pressed himself against Louis. He groaned at the contact and wanting more, he moved his hips against the other.   
  


"Good thing you waited." He growled in Louis' ear and pressed harder.  
  


Louis moaned in agreement and let the man take over for a while longer. He didn't like being overpowered but this man, he made him feel so good and forget about everything else. Being helpless against his body and eager hands made him slip away from the world and all it's life tragedies. Louis loved it and wanted this escape for the rest of the evening. And he was going to get it right now.  
  


Reluctantly, Louis gripped the man's hand from slipping through his jeans, before they end up publicly having sex. Louis was into a lot of kinks but never publicized sex. But from those blown out pupils and hitching breaths of the other, Louis knew that his temporary partner was, and that turned him on terribly.  
  


"My place. follow me." whispered Louis. Tone so soft and so tender that he saw the man tremble with adrenaline and felt his bulge grow.   
  


With one last smirk, Louis dropped the man's hands and stalked out of the crowded club, overly swaying his bum on purpose. He hadn't fully stepped out the door when those hands were on him again. He giggled as he felt hot breaths tickling his neck.   
  


"Missed me so soon? Don't tell me you'll still after we fuck." Louis teased. The man's deep chuckle raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Louis had stopped walking from the soothing pleasure of it. He turned around, his hand is the only thing stopping both of them from tearing each other bare and raw right on the sidewalk. "I don't fuck and date okay?"   
  


The man nodded, his eyes on Louis' swollen red lips. With a quiet gasp, louis saw the man palm himself through his jeans. They were in public for christ's sake! Normally Louis would flee or scold the man for being so shameless but he somehow couldn't let himself feel ashamed and embarrassed. He felt excited and hot. Having no self-control left in him, Louis latched himself onto the man, succeeding in having their hips attached and lips locked.   
  


The man moaned loudly enough that Louis swears that the whole world could hear, but he didn't care. In fact, he wanted everyone to hear him enjoying himself so greatly. Especially to a certain someone...  
  


"God you're so fucking hot," The taller man groaned out between breaks in their kisses, "so fucking hot. I want you right now. Right  _here_."  
  


Louis laughed at the uncontrollable craving from him because, fuck, when was the last time someone wanted him so desperately? "Yeah? Well, I fucking want to make you come inside me but not here. Not outside."  
  


The man sighed out, "you're right. We might get locked up for the night for the extremities of public affection instead."   
  


"More than just affection..."   
  
  


The man moaned softly against Louis lips, his grip on Louis' thigh slipping. The blue eyed wonder was making him melt.   
  


"Follow me." ordered Louis, retracting his hands from the man's bulge.  
  


The groaning man nodded, mumbling out a weak 'okay' in response. Who was he to decline?  
  


To give something for the man to moan at, Louis nibbled his bottom lip before breaking contact and walking to his car. He unlocked the car and looked behind him in case the man had run off but he knew that was hardly likely. True enough, the man was already beside him, ready _to go._  
  


Louis rolled his eyes sarcastically and opened the door on his side. He looked across the top of the car to find a gaping mouth and frenzied eyes. He chuckled to himself, in disbelief of how completely in control he was over the stranger. It felt amazing. "You're already whipped and we haven't started."  
  


The man grinned, once again undressing Louis with his eyes. He had no shame. How could he when there was a beautiful, ravishing man willingly to do things with him? Though he didn't know a single thing about the shorter man, he did know that he was something else but that didn't matter. This was a one time thing for both of them. Just that. So what's the harm in complimenting and carelessly throwing appreciative gestures here and there? "Who wouldn't be after seeing you?"   
  


And maybe Louis' heart sank lower than it already was---which was already at the very bottom---at those unmistakably familiar words. Maybe Louis suddenly felt tears, regret, and devastation all over again but what did that matter now? He was over it. It's too late for that. He's here with a total stranger, about to have some fun, because he can. So if he feels guilty the next day, like always, he'll just have to deal with it because he has to.  
  


With much difficulty, Louis forced a laugh and climbed inside the car, the charming man following after. Once inside, Louis felt overwhelmed with that stinging in the back of his eyes and nose. He was so close to crying and he didn't ever want to so he leaned over to the side and kiss the stranger hard and passionate as he had once always done long ago with someone else.  
  


"I can't take it much longer," Louis said, climbing onto the nameless man. He straddled him and let his hands roam around his hard front. The man breathed heavily in puffs as Louis' mouth found it's place right beneath his chin.  
  


"Fuck." he breathed out as Louis' hands palmed his painful hard on.   
  


Louis smiled against his neck, letting out a soft blow of air too. He began undoing the man's zipper, slowly and hotly pulling it down to his ankles. As he readily hooked his finger in the waistband of his tight white boxers, he whispered, "need you now."  
  


The man groaned as Louis slid the skin-tight piece of veil and cascaded it aside. He looked down at him, meeting those shady eyes. He sucked in his breath, "take me." And Louis did as his eyes burned in that dark shadowed car. He silently cried not because of the pain from the intimate activities but from the familiarity of them.   
  


As Louis rode the stranger and heard low growls, he was taken back in time. Back to when he first experienced this, to when it all mattered.


	2. Forget about it, even just for awhile

Tears. Louis woke up with fresh tears in his eyes. It wasn't because of a bad dream, just the opposite. As he was greeted with the pale ceiling of his room, guilt and sorrow washed over him again. He remembered what he did last night and what he thought while he did. Sighing greatly, he sat up. He turned to his side and wasn't surprised that it was empty, in fact, he was grateful.  


At least he got one problem solved out of the many, many others.  


Without caring to take a look at the time, Louis got up from his bed, groaning and wincing as he did. He frowned, cautiously feeling his bum around. He gasped at the sting and the feel of something crusty on his skin there. Louis removed his hand from his underwear and brought it to the light streaming through from the window. Blood. Dried blood actually but all the more scary and dark.   


He rolled his eyes, face palming. " _I_  fucking let him spank me." he bitterly spat as he recalled those harsh images and opened the door to go to the bathroom. He was so not going to drink that much again.  


For the remainder of the hour, Louis spent it on cleaning himself up and maybe have a little episode of crying in front of the mirror over his stupid mistakes and regrets. Even if he pitifully did, it wasn't anyone's business. When he washed his face again and waited for the puffy redness to fade from his cheeks and eyes, then Louis decided to dress and eat. He was on his third spoonful---which took ten minutes to get to that number---when his phone sang 'Loser Kid'. He winced at the song as he pressed answer. It was too familiar. Why hasn't he changed his ringtone yet?  


"What is it Liam?"   


Louis sighed at his spoon and flicked it back into his soggy cereal. He wasn't that hungry anyway.  


 _"Wow. Good morning to you too..."_  grumbled Liam on the other end.  


Louis set his phone on the table, setting it to speaker, and took his worthless cereal bowl to the sink. "I don't like mornings."  


_"True, who does? But today's morning might be good if you would agree to something."_   


The bowl crashed against the side of the sink as Louis dropped it to look back at his phone. cautiously, he said, "I'm listening." It was kind of off for Liam to suddenly drop an offer now a days.  


 _"Okay great,"_ Louis fussed with washing his bowl and spoon before sitting back down at the table.  _"so I want you to meet someone."_  


Louis choked. " _Liam_  -"  


_"And before you interrupt me!"_   


He rolled his eyes, "sorry." Fucking diva.  


Liam grunted which only made Louis' eyes roll impossibly back. He saw black spots in his vision.  


 _"He's a great guy, Louis; an old childhood friend of mine. He's everything you adore in a lad: tall, fit, brown haired, and well, hot! He likes to cook, party occasionally, and he's a doctor of some sort. Please meet him?"_  The desperation in his voice was overwhelming and too much for Louis to pass over as nothing.  


"I don't know... You know how I feel about this topic now."  


A sigh. Just a sigh made way through the speaker. Louis frowned at it. Liam only sighed like that when things were really tough or when he's extremely tired.  


_"Yeah I know, but it's been four years, Louis."_   


Sighing, Louis ran a hand through his hair and pulled on it. He was frustrated too! He didn't want to be like this anymore. He wanted to find someone new and let them in, but every time he got closer, his body slipped away. Louis couldn't move on even if he tried but he had to keep trying. He  _needed_  to forget. And then he thought,  _maybe this is it._  


"Okay."  


_"Okay? Really?"_   


"Yes, Liam. I want to meet him. He seems okay and he does fit to my taste."  


 _"Okay? Um, so at The Plaza at six?"_  The uncertainty in Liam's voice was clear and Louis couldn't blame him for being that way. He wasn't sure of himself either.  


Louis chewed the inside of his cheeks, feeling the sting in his nose and eyes. "Yeah. That's fine."  


_"Thank you. You'll like him, I'm sure."_   


With that, Liam hung up. As time slowly passed in that chair, Louis began to regret accepting the offer and he felt too tired to even get dressed but he had to go along with it. He knew his mate was only doing this for him and plus, the relief and joy in his voice when Louis said that he'll go was incredible. He'd be too guilty to cancel. And it's least likely that the guy will end up liking Louis anyway so he had to succumb to just this evening. He'll never see the man again and Liam will eventually stop trying to find someone for him.  _It all works out in the end.._.  


Louis groaned and put his head in his hands, tugging at his hair. He hated being sober like this; it made him think. And his thoughts weren't the happiest.   


After a minute of dwelling his thoughts, Louis couldn't take it anymore. He dressed in his running wear and hurriedly packed while running to his car, distractedly humming as he did. He drove with the radio on and sang as loudly as he could to keep the voice out. Once Louis parked into the lot of his local gym, he turned off then engine and gathered his things while still mentally singing. He locked the car and stepped inside the building for the most gruesome work out he ever had in years since his college football team.  


If it wasn't for couple beside him on the treadmill suddenly exclaiming the current time and their lateness, Louis most likely would have stayed another three hours in the gym. Even with the addition of his shitty bipolar mood today, Louis actually did fine working out excessively. Okay maybe he---sort of---almost lost it when his singing of that dreadful pop song from earlier in the car went out of hand. Other than that, his session at the gym was well spent. To end it, Louis hit the showers and washed himself of the sticky sweat.  


By the time he arrived home to change into the appropriate clothes for his little blind date per say, it was a little past five but no worries. The Plaza was quite close by his flat. He might even have a little time before his mystery guy shows up. With the little reassurance that he won't be too late, Louis combed his hair neatly and stared at his reflection wondering why he was trying so hard to impress when he really wasn't serious about this.  


Louis sighed darkly and idly picked his keys up. He stood by the door as if waiting for something. He's been doing that a lot lately though he couldn't pinpoint the reason behind his impulsive actions. He bit his tongue and hesitantly walked out the door.   
  
  


_. x ._   
  
  


The date could have been worse. And Louis has had iffy and strange dates in the past. It was half and hour into the time Louis was supposed to arrive. He didn't see the guy because he was turned to the window, absolutely mesmerized by something. His figure was slender and light. Even from six feet away Louis knew he was handsome and probably out of his league. When he sat down on the reserved chair opposite from the stranger, the guy didn't notice. Louis had to clear his throat to get his attention and when he did, he felt immediately insecure and self conscious of his rather ordinary looks. The man was beautiful, so beautiful that Louis wasn't sure it was okay to look at him.  


They started off with the introductory of their names, jobs, hobbies, and age. The man, Harry Styles, was a bit younger than Louis by two years which was fine. Little bit of an age gap didn't really matter anymore now that you're out of school, not that Louis considered ever being with Harry. Harry was a kind and good man who didn't deserve a hot mess like him. Just one date, that's it.  


Oh, and Liam should've added what kind of doctor Harry is. He's a Cardiovascular Surgeon! Although Louis didn't know much about medicinal related things and jobs, he did know what cardio was: heart, and what a surgeon was. He'll search that up later.   


So looks, wealth, body, modesty, brilliance. He's got it all! All that while Louis is...Louis with the career of a local police officer, owning a small frail-like awfully tanned body, bearing an "innocent" cute face (he's turning 26 for fuck's sake!), and with a fucked up bitchy personality. He's bitter and sour while Harry's sweet and tangy.  


They took turns in asking. Harry insisted that Louis should ask first and won that round after weakening the blue eyed man to laugh in defeat. Louis asked about family, receiving an answer that Harry's parents are divorced and remarried to other people, and that he has an older sister, Gemma, who's living in America with her husband and daughters. Then, Harry grew curious and asked of the same from him. Louis told him of his quite large family, starting with his divorced/remarried parents and ending with the second set of twins, Ernest and Doris. Harry gaped at this new information, making a small yet personal comment of how he always wanted a big family of his own as big as Louis'. And Louis quietly stated that he would be the best father because it was true. Harry did have that little "family first and always" kind of vibe and Louis likes that. Family is important to him and he aims to meet and settle with a man who thinks the same. But then again, Louis wasn't sure if he could handle something serious like this after his last boyfriend...  


And may God bless Harry even more for spilling his wine on himself at that moment and sheepishly mumbling an ' _oops_ ' like a child, snapping Louis from deepening his thoughts. Louis laughed as he handled the flushed man his cloth napkin. Harry thanked him and scrubbed his pants. Louis smiled at him through little fits of laughter and welcomed him back to, "The Coordinated Land," earning an embarrassed puff of air which began the laughter again. When Louis calmed, he realized he hadn't truly laughed like this in years. It was overwhelming and relieving that he can still feel joy. Maybe he's not all that broken, yet.  


Grinning, Louis asked his second question that returned the redness in Harry's ears. "Since when were you this clumsy?" Louis laughed again. It was exhilarating being with this man. Fun and intriguing.  


Harry stuck his tongue out and waited for things to settle before asking his question that had Louis choke on his wine. "What are your regrets and mistakes?"  


"W-What?"  


Harry leaned forward, eyes soft. "Do you have any regrets and mistakes?"   


It was the way Harry was so calm and opened to hear  _everything_  there is brought back the guarded walls in Louis. Yeah, Louis knew Harry was only being curious and moving the spotlight to Louis as a form of modesty since they were mostly talking about him but still, Louis only stared at him, anger bubbling slowly though he wasn't sure where his anger was directed at. He was about to stand up and leave after saying how rude Harry was but when he kept staring into those honest green eyes, he couldn't find the will to leave. He's a really great guy. Louis could tell. So that's the only reason why he stayed and toed his way out of answering.   


He smiled and called for their waiter to order more wine, his hand clenched into a tight fist underneath the table.  


For the rest of the evening, Harry didn't pry into the smaller man's life and past. It was obvious that it's a touchy subject, and Harry wasn't the type to press and add on pressure. He respected and acknowledged Louis' warning of his boundary line. After all, they've only known each other for a couple of hours and they might never see each other after this.  


By the time they finished their twentieth question, it was almost nine. Three hours. Louis swore it was only six fifty-five minutes ago... To wrap it up, they agreed on asking one last question before parting. Louis asked of his goals in life, what he wishes to accomplish before he dies. Harry replied instantly, as if he's said this all the time or waited for a question like this to be asked.  


"To save at least one life. Or at least help change it for the better."  


Louis found this odd. Surely Harry has saved lives from his job, right? But he didn't question it and he had a feeling Harry didn't mean saving lives in that tense. He also wasn't the one to pry further if not welcomed. Harry's eyes were far so it was hard to tell if it was acceptable to ask him to explain so Louis quieted and waited.  


Chuckling, Harry leaned back in his chair, shyly smiling at Louis. "That was a strange answer, wasn't it?"   


Louis shook his head. "Not at all. It's different from what I usually hear, but very... interesting."  


Harry nodded and then silenced altogether. Louis waited for any specific reason behind this goal of his but there wasn't any. Harry didn't seem like he was going to talk about this any longer so that was that.   


He was about to change the subject when Harry interjected, "and you? Any goals before your end?"   


Harry's eyes were trained onto him, sharp and alert. This nerved Louis to look down. He didn't really have a number one answer to that. Sure there were a lot of things Louis hopes to succeed in before he dies and is forgotten, but he wasn't sure which one he desperately wants to win at. What did he really want?  


He looked up at Harry, all expression gone, leaving only a grim blankness. He looked past him and to the white eggshell wall behind. "Stability and permanency."  


When Louis turned to look at the quiet man, he expected some sort of confusion and questions but there was none.   


Harry shrugged, "don't we all?" And something about his tone was different from his careless shrug, like, he knew all about that in the most tragic way. Just as Louis had.


End file.
